Harrow.



J. G. FREEMAN.

HARBOW.

APPLICATION IILBD MAY 13, 1912.

Patented July 23, 1912.

2 SKEETS8HEET 1.

J. 0. 1 32mm.

HABROW. APPLICATION FILED MAY 13, 1912.

Patented July 23,1912.

2 8EBETS-SEBBT 8.

JOHN C. FREEMAN, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

HARROW.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 23, 1912.

Application filed May 13, 1912. Serial No. 697,001.

To all 'whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN C. FREEMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, Henrico county, Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improve ments in Harrows; and I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invent-ion, such as will enable others skilledin the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to letters or figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to improvements in barrows, and more especially to the form of the blades or ject to so form the blades that they will reduce rough fallowed soil, that may contain roots of grass, weeds, stalks and sticks, to such a condition as will make it suitable for seeding.

The invention consists in constructing a hoilow-ground blade or knife having a plurality of sharp cutting edges primarily de signed to cut the fallowed soil into small pieces; in positioning two of the cutting edges so thatburied obstacles as well as obstacles on the surface of the ground that are not easily severed, are, by means of said edges and the motion of the harrow brought under a horizontal cutting edge where, with the weight of the implement pressing the sharp edge upon them and the constant agitation of the soil, said objects are ultimately severed.

The invention further consists in making the blades reversible, and in positioning the cutting edges so that the reversed blade in coming in contact with a non-severable object will automatically rise and pass over the object without materially increasing the draft.

In the accompanying drawings-Figure 1 is a top plan view of a harrow embodying my. invention. Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof. Fig. 3 is an elevation on a reduced scale of the rear 0 oss brace. Fig. 4 is a like view of the front cross brace. Fig. 5 is an enlarged side view of one form of blade. Fig. 6 is a top view of the latter. Figs.

, 7 8, 9 and 10 are 'cross sections on the lines 7-7, 8-8, 9-9 Fig. 5.

The barrow illustrated in Figs. 1 to 4 consists of a plurality of V-shaped framesand 10-40, respectively, of

knives, and it has for its oocomposed of beams 1, which frames are spaced apart and connected by a central brace rod 2 and end rods 3. The central brace rod 2 is formed into a loop 4, the front end of which is convoluted, forming a plurality of superposed eyes 5, or clevis, to which the draft member, such as a single or double-tree (notshown) may be attached.

Transverse brace rods 6 and 7, of the form shown in Figs. 3 and 4, respectively, are bolted to the beams 1 near the rear and front of the frame, and in addition to stiffening the latter these rods form braces for side frames 8 which are bolted to said rods. These frames are so shaped that they not only constitute handles elevated at the rear for the convenient manipulation of. the harrow, but they also constitute runners upon which the frame may be supported, when being transported from place to place over unplowed ground, by simply inverting the frames.

While the above described construction and arrangement of parts form an important feature of my invention, going to make up a rigid, durable and easily constructed frame, the essential feature of my invention lies in the special construction of the harrowblades.

As shown in detail in Figs. 5 to 10. the blades are made in the form of hollowground blades, each of which is formed with a vertical shank 9, rectangular in cross-section and adapted to project through a rectangular opening in the beam 1 to which said shank is detachably secured by means of a cotter-pin 10 which passes through a hole 11 in the shank. This connection permits a ready attachment and detachment of the blade to and from the beam for the purpose of reversing the position of the blade, which latter is designed for this purpose.

The base of the shank is formed with a surrounding horizontal shoulder 12 which abuts against the bottom of the beam 1 when the shank is placed in the latter. Below said shoulder the blade is formed with a central rib, 13 which extends downward in a vertical direction a short distance from the shoulder and then deviates at 14: from the vertical direction at an obtuse angle and gradually diminishes in cross-section, as clearly shown in Figs. 7 to 10.

The blade diminishes in thickness from the rib to the front and rear forming two straight cutting edges- 15, 16. The front straight edge, 15, when in operative position, inclines rearwardly 'from' the lower end to a point above the angle of the rib13 where it merges into a curved cutting edge 17, and horizontal cutting edge 18 from which said blade extends to the shoulder 12 in a forwardly inclined direction, presenting a short cutting edge, 19. By reversing the position of the blade to bring the cutting edge 16 into operative position said edge will be inclined forwardly from its lower end and extends in a straightline from said lower end toa point in line with the angle of the rib from whence it extends, to the shoulder 12, in a concave cutting ed 'e 20.

The bla es shown in Fi 2 have a central rib and are hollow-groun like-those abovedescribed, but the euttin' ed es symmetrically converge from the s oul er in concave curves '21 to a point a short distance below them, thus leavin said shoulder and extend from said curves in straight conver in cutting edges 22 to the lower ends of t e lades.

The above-described blades are designed to not only cut up the soil, but to out such obstacles as large roots, corn stalks, bean poles and the li e, which have been buried, in plowing. When such obstacles are encountered by harrows having the ordinary form of teeth they offer so reat a resistance that the harrow has to e lifted over said obstacles to be brought to the sur ace later, when the. crop is being plowed, and so destroy many young plants.

Blades of the form shown in Fig. 2 will operate under ordinary conditions to cut u the soil more easily than teeth of theordinary form, but where obstacles are unusually numerous and large, the form of blade shown in Fig. 5 will operate more satisfac-' torily. If a stalk or root is encountered by the blade at a point below the horizontal edge 18, the forward movement of the bladev will cause such stalk or root to move up along the edge 15 until it reaches the edge 18, and the irregular pressure of the-harrow frame will cause the .obstacle t-tO be ting edge merging into anupward and forthe harrow' frame, t e other end of said a "concave j horizontal edge connected by a concave curve to 'a downward and forward inclined edge, the other side of 'saidbladehgi:

quried, for examp e, when the land is to be rolled and seeded broadcast, the blades may -be reversed, running edges 16 and 20 in front, which will reduce the draft on the team. B the ex ression hollow ground usedin t e speci cation and claims, defining the form of the blade, it is to be I understood to mean a blade having the storm similar to a hollow ound razor. In'the manufacture of my'b edes they may be cast in the form defined.

I claimr 1,. A harrow comprising hollow-groun blades, each blade having ahorizontal cutting edge and two inclined cutting ed es arranged to feed an object to said horizontal e a 5. A barrow comprising hollow-ground blades each blade having a horizontal cutward inclined edge extending to the harrow frame at one end, and into a downward and forward end.

3. A harrow tooth 'comprising'hollowground tapering blades, one side of each blade having a horizontal cutting edge merging into an upward and forwardinclined edge extendln horizontal .by curve to a downward and forward-inclined edgef 4. lowround ta ri lades, side'ofeach blad having a h orizontaf utting merging into an upward and forward 1nclinedcdge extendin the, burrow frame, t

ing a concave. curved low the barrow frame and a stint clined portion.

In testimony that I I as my invention, I have ,5 1- my'mme m, I presence of two subscribing w tnesses.

chopped in two. If a stalk on the surface is C I encountered, it will at once beenfaged by T the inclined edge 19, and likewise ed to the Witnesses:

- horizontal e e 18 and severed, without'ma- O. W. Konxntmi v terially imp ing the progress of the har- G. Emir. V

mam patent may s mmers me: each. u, e!

inclined .cutting edge at the other v l to the underside of v 86 A barrow com to thennderside of other end of said f 

